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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24515248">Reptilian - A Lizardfolk Anthology</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenDirector/pseuds/HiddenDirector'>HiddenDirector</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fantastic Racism, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, M/M, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:46:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,964</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24515248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenDirector/pseuds/HiddenDirector</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of stories that will revolve around my two favorite lizard people in She-Ra - Rogelio and Double Trouble. Mostly it will be a lot of headcanons about their respective types of reptilian species/races, and for the individual characters themselves.</p><p>The stories will only be loosely connected and may not take place in a chronological order, but will be able to be read separately.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyle/Rogelio (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>223</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As a warning, this fanfic will deal more than once in Fantastic Racism. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it basically means discrimination in a fantasy setting against certain species/races in that setting. If this makes you uncomfortable, then I suggest you turn back now.</p><p>Any time dialogue appears inside brackets, [like this,] outside of when it's exclusively Lizardfolk speaking to each other, it means it's in lizard-tongue.</p><p>I chose Hispanic names for my Lizardfolk OCs due to the fact that Rogelio is a Hispanic name.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One of the things that many people didn’t realize about Lizardfolk was that they were prideful people. Due in large part to being seen in the long times past as barbarians, mostly for their unique language consisting of growls and larger bodies, the Lizardfolk of Etheria responded by deciding that they weren’t the strange ones, everyone else was. They tended to more stick to their own, not mingling much outside of their species. Even in the Horde, they migrated into groups of each other when they had time, speaking only in lizard-tongue.</p><p>Rogelio was less inclined towards this behavior, honestly. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel pride as a lizardman. Far from it, he couldn’t have been happier to be born as one. Though there were undoubtedly times he wished his parents had been a bit <em>less </em>prideful, as he and his siblings were taught to understand Etherian but never to speak it. It made working with other Etherian races a lot more complicated, as most of them didn’t seem even to bother trying to learn to understand their language.</p><p>Well, Kyle and Lonnie tried, at least. If he spoke too fast or too much, they couldn’t keep up, but Rogelio had long since started using shorter, basic growls. Lonnie picked it up faster than Kyle did, but she was probably one of the quickest people he knew when it came to learning new things. She still needed it to be kept short (apparently lizard-tongue in long-form sounded like the same grunts and growls over and over to other Etherians), but he appreciated her effort.</p><p>Rogelio couldn’t be mad at Kyle about being a bit slower about it. Then again, Rogelio could never be mad at Kyle for anything. Not for more than a few moments, anyway. The blond really did try his best, and it was hard not to feel somewhat sorry for getting frustrated at him. It was obviously hard to be Kyle. A lot of people took that for granted, to the point where blaming him for things that weren’t even his fault became a habit.</p><p>Rogelio couldn’t say he wasn’t guilty of it on occasion, though he always felt bad about it afterward. Kyle didn’t deserve that.</p><p>The other Lizardfolk in the Horde knew. There was no hiding how he felt for the cute, scrawny human boy from them. Rogelio knew they could practically smell his infatuation. Damn pheromones. He was just glad that no one outside of a few races of Etheria could detect them. Otherwise, the entire Horde would know. His fellow Lizardfolk wouldn’t tell anyone; he knew that. They stuck together, after all.</p><p>They didn’t understand, though. Rogelio didn’t expect them to. He knew it was considered practically insanity for a lizardman to be attracted to those outside of their own species. First of all, Lizardfolk weren’t biologically compatible with most other races of Etherian. Lizardfolk were reptiles; they laid eggs. Most other races were mammalian, birthing from their bodies. Though Rogelio and Kyle wouldn’t exactly have to worry about that, being both males. Even if they were the same species, they couldn’t bear children anyway. Not that Rogelio hadn’t fantasized about it, though. Sure, he knew it was weird, but he even drew pictures of what he thought their son would look like. He then hid them in his locker where no one would ever see them, least of all Kyle.</p><p>Other than biological incompatibility, though, most Lizardfolk kept their genetics in their species because they believed other races of Etherians wouldn’t be able to adapt to living with them. Irrational, maybe, but a history of discrimination wasn’t rational either. Sure, most people accepted Lizardfolk just fine these days, but that didn’t mean they didn’t still feel that sting sometimes. And to a lot of them, the human Etherians were the worst. They were the most common type Etherian and tended to hold holier-than-thou attitudes, at least as far as the Lizardfolk were concerned.</p><p>Not Rogelio, though. Sure, some were insufferable. He wished he had a ration bar for every time he was asked, ‘Is it true that lizards,’ usually ending with something that if it were any other lizardman, the person asking would be punched. Instead, Rogelio often just rolled his eyes and went about his business, knowing they wouldn’t understand his answer anyway. Maybe that was the advantage of not speaking their language.</p><p>Kyle never asked questions like that, though. Even with the language barrier, Kyle just… accepted Rogelio for what he was. Even when they met as young recruits, Kyle wasn’t afraid of him, which had seemed odd then and still was now, looking back at it. Kyle had been afraid of everything and everyone. He’d even been fearful of Adora when they met, and Adora was one of the friendliest people the Horde ever produced.</p><p>Except for Scorpia, but Rogelio was pretty sure she wasn’t normal by <em>anyone’s </em>standard of the word.</p><p>But Kyle hadn’t been afraid of Rogelio. He had stared up at the lizardman when they first met, and Rogelio had been sure the tiny kid in front of him was going to say something stupid, or run away screaming, or… something. But instead, Kyle had just smiled at him. He’d been missing his front teeth at the time. Rogelio had laughed when he saw it. It was the goofiest thing he’d ever seen. They’d been the last of Kyle’s baby teeth to fall out, which was rare as usually, that was the molars. But that was how Rogelio learned that human teeth grew back much slower than Lizardfolk teeth, and they’d tracked the progress every day until they were completely back. It was kind of strange yet perfect that they’d simply clicked together like that from the beginning. They were practically inseparable since.</p><p>That was why Kyle couldn’t ever find out about Rogelio’s feelings for him. Rogelio didn’t know what he was more afraid of: That Kyle would reject him, or that he’d accept him. Both would mean things would change and not necessarily for the better, even if Kyle felt the same way. Rogelio was afraid that if they did take a step in that direction, towards romance, the other Lizardfolk would be right. That Kyle would suddenly realize that it was a big mistake when he experienced the Lizardfolk culture and how they courted their mates. The way their instincts drove their relationships more than anything else.</p><p>No, it was better to stay friends. As much as Rogelio wanted to lift Kyle and cradle him in his arms and never let go.</p><p>“Hey, you’re doing that thing again.”</p><p>Rogelio looked up from where he’d been staring at the ground. “What?” he asked.</p><p>The lizardwoman who spoke, Jimena, raised an eye ridge at him, then smirked. “Don’t ‘what’ me,” she teased. “We all know what’s going through your head when you blank out like that.” Her purple scales and slender yet muscular silhouette made her especially pretty among their people.</p><p>The other Lizardfolk standing with them snickered. “You need to get that human out of your head, Rogelio,” Luz ribbed as well. “You’re going to get sloppy out there because of him one day. And you won’t have anyone but yourself to blame when things go wrong.” He was probably the largest lizardman Rogelio knew, a vibrant, dark green.</p><p>“I’m not going to get sloppy,” Rogelio huffed, shoving Luz away from himself. “And what I’m thinking about is none of your business.”</p><p>“He’s a <em> human</em>, Rogelio,” Jimena said pointedly as if the younger lizardman needed to be told again. “He’ll never understand, and you know it.”</p><p>“I don’t know, he fails at being human pretty well,” Camilo joked. He was one of Jimena’s siblings, a darker purple but also slender. Because Lizardfolk laid eggs, they usually had many of them. Their population didn’t hold as well as they’d like under Horde ruling, though. “Maybe he should try something else.”</p><p>“Watch it,” Rogelio growled at him, leaning over warningly. Camilo was shorter than he was, and Rogelio wasn’t afraid to use that size difference to his advantage. Sure enough, the smaller lizardman shrank away.</p><p>“You got it bad,” Luz laughed.</p><p>“Kyle has it hard enough,” Rogelio said shortly. “He doesn’t need people making fun of him behind his back, too.”</p><p>“He’s just a human, Ro,” Jimena shook her head.</p><p>“He’s not <em>just </em>a human,” Rogelio insisted. “Forget this; I’m going to go spend time with my team. I don’t even know why I bother coming to hang out with you guys.” He raised a hand, turning and heading off.</p><p>“You’d rather spend time with your humans than with your own kind!” Camilo called after him. “They don’t even understand you!”</p><p>“Obviously, neither do you…” Rogelio growled in response.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>“You sure you don’t want some help, Kyle?”</p><p>“I got it!” Kyle’s voice came from around the corner as Rogelio headed towards the barracks. It was an annoyed whine. “I can at least do this much!”</p><p>“I’m just saying, that’s a lot of-”</p><p>That was all Lonnie got out as Rogelio turned the corner to them, where he almost ran straight into the petite blond. Kyle let out a shriek at his sudden appearance, the large stack of paperwork in his arms toppling over and scattering across the floor. “Awww, man!” Kyle complained, looking at the ceiling in disgust.</p><p>“[Sorry,]” Rogelio growled out, wincing. He couldn’t help a small smile, though. Kyle was so cute when he was angry. He was probably the least intimidating person in the entire Horde.</p><p>“It’s alright, big guy,” Lonnie grinned, kneeling and starting to pick up papers. “It’s Kyle. It was bound to happen at some point.”</p><p>Rogelio chuckled. He didn’t get angry at her like he did at his people. He knew she didn’t tease Kyle because she looked down on him. More because she considered him something close to family. She did for Rogelio as well, and honestly, Rogelio felt the same way about them both. He only hoped Kyle did, as well.</p><p>Still, the lizardman bent down as well and started helping. Kyle quickly got to work, too, never liking to feel useless. Rogelio looked at him as they gathered. The young man still looked tired. He always did these days. Rogelio hated that. “[You sleeping?]” he asked. He knew it was ridiculous; Kyle didn’t understand. He didn’t even know if Lonnie knew that one yet.</p><p>The blond looked up from the papers at him, tilting his head. Yep, there it was. The blank stare. Still, he smiled, and Rogelio knew that he was trying. “I’m fine,” he said.</p><p>Well, it was close enough to an actual answer to the question. When they got all the papers, each carrying a smaller stack instead of one taking the whole load this time, they started back down the hall again.</p><p>“So, Kyle and I were talking about that little… get-together or whatever that Dani’s planning in the east storehouse,” Lonnie said as they walked. “She memorized the guard schedule so we can get in without anyone we don’t want to know finding out.”</p><p>“I don’t even know what we’d do, other than eat the ration bars and talk,” Kyle shrugged.</p><p>“Could have some fights,” Lonnie grinned. “See who’s the top-dog in the ranks. Of those brave enough to show up, anyway.”</p><p>Rogelio growled in approval. That was an excellent idea. He liked a good fight.</p><p>“Man, I don’t wanna fight anyone…” Kyle whined, almost dropping his papers again. He quickly tightened his hold on them. “The last thing I need is to get my butt kicked in front of everyone.”</p><p>“You don’t <em>have </em>to fight,” Lonnie rolled her eyes. “Just the people who want to will.”</p><p>Rogelio made another affirmative growl. He didn’t want Kyle fighting anyway. Not that he was worried. As awful as Kyle was at it, the one thing everyone seemed to underestimate was how much punishment he could take. Kyle could get punched, kicked, thrown, landed-on, hit with an assortment of weapons, and even at his most exhausted, he would get back up given a few moments. He had an absurd amount of endurance for a scrawny human.</p><p>That didn’t mean Rogelio liked seeing it happen. He was always the one who patched Kyle up afterward. He didn’t <em>have </em>to be the one. Lonnie could have done it, or any of the other recruits and soldiers. But Rogelio wanted to be the one to do it. Even if he was reluctant to let Kyle know he had feelings for him, his mating instincts still told him to take care of his potential mate.</p><p>“If I <em> don’t </em>fight, they’ll all make fun of me for being a coward. If I <em> do </em>fight, I’ll get creamed. Either way, I’ll get humiliated,” Kyle sighed. “Maybe I should just not go. No one wants me there anyway.”</p><p>“[I do,]” Rogelio said before he could stop himself.</p><p>Lonnie laughed. Okay, she knew that one. And judging by the tone of that, she knew more than Rogelio thought she did. Crap. Okay, this was fine, Lonnie apparently knew but hadn’t told anyone, so she knew he didn’t want anyone else to find out. Thank goodness she was both smart and respectful of his privacy.</p><p>“What?” Kyle looked at Lonnie, then to Rogelio, who looked away. “<em> What? </em> What’s so funny?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Lonnie answered, nudging him a bit with her elbow. That was the wrong move, as the papers shifted and several spilled out of his hold again. She made an exasperated noise. “Really, Kyle?”</p><p>“Oh, come on!” Kyle sighed, kneeling down to pick them up again.</p><p>Rogelio grunted out a laugh, as they waited for the young man. And… yeah, sure, this wasn’t too exciting. They weren’t Lizardfolk. Kyle wasn’t the most coordinated, nor Lonnie the most patient. But he definitely would rather spend time with them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rogelio meets a certain trouble-making changeling spy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The arrival of Double Trouble in the Horde was not one with fanfare, but it certainly was noticed. At least, it was noticed by the Lizardfolk population.</p><p>It was hard not to notice. Trouble halfway looked like a Lizardfolk and almost entirely smelled like one. They weren’t one, though. They couldn’t be. Their body was too soft. They had ears and hair. Their face was too flat. But still, there was no ignoring that sensation whenever they passed. No denying their smooth, scaly skin or long, shapely reptilian tail.</p><p>And Trouble noticed in return. That sharp, toothy, challenging smile whenever they caught the Lizardfolk staring said Trouble knew precisely what they were thinking.</p><p>It was no secret what Trouble <em>was</em>. A changeling. That was why their body was half-stolen from someone else’s race. Changelings didn’t breed with each other. They bred with other races, changing themselves for biological compatibility. No one was entirely sure what changelings looked like long ago before their biology was utterly corrupted by the dozens of other races they interbred with, though they all shared the pointed ears and soft, curved bodies when undisguised. Not that many were seen undisguised anymore. Changelings were considered one of the rarest races on Etheria due to the difficulty of tracking their population.</p><p>The thing that made Trouble a particular case was their Lizardfolk biology. Lizardfolk were not easy to fool, even for the most experienced changeling. They could smell when someone didn’t belong. A changeling could change their transformed biology enough to fake the pheromones Lizardfolk gave off, but it was like spraying on cheap perfume. To those who could detect it, it wasn’t hard to tell it wasn’t authentic. Thus, all changelings who tried to infiltrate their people were driven out - sometimes violently. No one had a right to disrespect their culture through cheap imitation.</p><p>But here Trouble was; a changeling that proved that someone got away with it. Their very existence an insult to Lizardfolk culture.</p><p>Rogelio had mixed feelings about Double Trouble being there. On the one hand, his pride as a lizardman agreed that whoever their changeling parent was, they had no right to make a mockery of their people. To pretend to be one of them. On the other hand, though, it wasn’t Trouble’s fault for being born. They didn’t ask to exist. And he kind of had to respect that they had no shame in what they were.</p><p>It wasn’t so bad when Trouble was out doing their spying thing, which was usually the case. They didn’t spend much time in the Fright Zone, thus was easily ignored.</p><p>Unfortunately, this was not one of those times. And Trouble just happened to be heading on their way to… whatever business they had at the same time that Rogelio and his brethren were spending time shooting the breeze. One of the things they were secure in was that Trouble, as they would never have been allowed to be raised in a Lizardfolk clan, didn’t understand the language. Trouble never reacted to any of the things said in lizard-tongue, after all, so it was easy to simply say whatever they thought.</p><p>Rogelio thought it was cowardly to insult someone in a language they didn’t speak, especially since he struggled with getting his own team to understand the <em>good </em>things he wanted to say to them. He tried to convince the others of this, and… well, it was effective to a degree.</p><p>“[Just… don’t. Would it kill you just to ignore them?]” Rogelio asked, trying not to express his discomfort at their behavior too blatantly. He sometimes wondered if he wouldn’t be so accepting of people outside of themselves if he didn’t have a team of humans that accepted him so readily in return. Most of the group here had teams that they worked fine with, but they’d rather be with their own people. He had to admit; there was a particular internal need that was fulfilled by doing so.</p><p>“[Does it bother you that much? We’re just teasing them,]” Jimena said, giving him a side-look. “Besides, they don’t know what we’re saying, not like we’re hurting them.”</p><p>“[It doesn’t matter if they understand, it’s not…]” Rogelio trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. There was no way to say it without sounding ridiculous.</p><p>“[Hey, fine, if it bugs you that much, we’ll lay off,]” Luz offered. “[We’ll just say hi. In Etherian, even. Though I guess you can’t.]”</p><p>“[I really have to learn,]” Rogelio sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. “[You don’t have to say anything to them, just don’t insult them.]” He knew he was pushing it, but he was serious about this. Maybe if he could get them to lay off Double Trouble, he might be able to ease them towards accepting his feelings for Kyle.</p><p>“[Alright, shut up, here they come,]” Camilo hissed.</p><p>The four fell quiet as the changeling reached them, glancing at them as Trouble strode past. Trouble didn’t seem particularly unnerved by the four staring Lizardfolk, simply flashing that toothy, sharp-fanged smile at them again and keeping on walking.</p><p>“Afternoon,” Jimena surprised them by greeting the changeling in Etherian. She even managed to sound halfway genial about it.</p><p>That did make Trouble stop, staring at her blankly. After a moment of considering, they finally replied, “It’s still morning, actually, but points for trying.” Their voice dripped with sarcasm, and it raised the hackles of the Lizardfolk present.</p><p>Okay, so Trouble wasn’t the nicest person in return, but all they had to do was let them go along their way and-</p><p>“[Why don’t you change your stupid face to something less hideous?]” Camilo growled out at the changeling, obviously not liking the brush-off his sister had received.</p><p>Rogelio didn’t know if he wanted to smack his own forehead or the back of Camilo’s. Okay, he couldn’t entirely blame him for being angry. But still, they weren’t going to be able to handle even the smallest slight if something so insignificant as correcting the time was going to get them up in arms.</p><p>As expected, Trouble looked at Camilo blankly. It was that same look Kyle gave whenever Rogelio spoke. The changeling then opened his mouth, however, and the most unexpected of responses came. In perfect lizard-tongue - the kind that could only be achieved growing up speaking the language - Trouble replied, “[At least I have the option, sweetheart. There’s tragically nothing you can do about your ugly mug.]”</p><p>The four Lizardfolk stared at them, shocked. Trouble spoke lizard-tongue. They <em>understood </em>it. Meaning… oh. The changeling understood everything that was said to them by every Lizardfolk in the Horde.</p><p>With a self-satisfied smirk, Trouble turned and started back down the hall again. They did look over their shoulder and call, “Next time you want to insult someone, make sure they don’t speak your language! Oh, and while you’re at it, get some more original insults! You haven’t said a single thing I haven’t heard before!” And with that, they turned a corner and were gone.</p><p>It took almost two full minutes for anyone to say anything. Finally, Luz snapped, “[I hate that changeling! Bad enough they pretend to be one of us, but then they insult us to our faces!]”</p><p>“[Will you stop acting like they can help being part-Lizardfolk?]” Rogelio finally snapped.</p><p>“[How can you defend them? You heard what they said to my brother!]” Jimena threw her hands in the air, pushing herself up, so her face was inches from Rogelio’s. It was an impressive feat, as he had almost two full feet on her.</p><p>“[Yes, one insult for… however many you’ve spat at them for weeks!]” Rogelio roared back. This was starting to get to him. This wasn’t who his people were. They were prideful, yes, but they weren’t supposed to be so… self-superior. There was a fine line between having pride as a people and looking down at others.</p><p>To that, the three had no response. They finally looked away from him uncomfortably.</p><p>“[Sometimes you make me ashamed of myself for seeking out time to spend with you.]” Rogelio decided to let them stew on that, turning and heading down the same way Trouble had disappeared. He’d meant it. He didn’t want anything to do with spending time with people who were going to be so… hateful. But Lizardfolk his age in the Fright Zone were distressingly hard to find at times. Most were much older or much younger. There was this odd gap in generations where certain ones were more sparse than others.</p><p>As Rogelio turned the corner, he almost jumped out of his scales when he found Trouble leaning against the wall right there. “You’re a strange lizardman,” they purred, one arm crossed over their chest, the hand of the other one resting on their chin thoughtfully. “I’ve never had one <em> defend </em> me before.”</p><p>Rogelio stared at them a moment, then huffed. The last thing he wanted was for the changeling to get the wrong impression. “[Don’t look too far into it. I just don’t like when they get arrogant about other people.]”</p><p>“I’ve noticed,” Trouble chuckled, pushing off the wall. They walked a slow circle around Rogelio, observing him as they went. “Especially attached to your human companions, aren’t you? I’ve seen the way you behave around them. Like they’re part of your own clan. It’s almost sweet.”</p><p>The lizardman tensed as Trouble walked behind him. “[You’ve been spying on us?]” he demanded, unable to believe it. How long had that been going on without them noticing?</p><p>“Oh, don’t take it personally,” Trouble scoffed, stopping out of Rogelio’s sight. “I spy on everyone. It’s what I do. It has two major advantages. One, I know everything I need to about even those I’m working with. And two, it makes taking on disguises much easier. The larger my pool of reference, the better.”</p><p>“[What do you hope to gain from-]” Rogelio cut himself off as he turned. He wasn’t facing Trouble when he did.</p><p>Kyle stood there, ever sweet and tired-eyed. “Who’re you talking to?” he asked, puzzled.</p><p>And for a moment, Rogelio almost believed it. So convincing that it was there was something off. The smell was one part, though it wasn’t the first thing he noticed. The scent of Lizardfolk was still there, unable to be hidden. But the first thing he realized was Kyle wasn’t looking at him like he always did.</p><p>The blond human always looked at Rogelio softly, even at his most tired. There was a twinge of admiration behind it that made the lizardman feel self-conscious, continually questioning if he could live up to whatever expectation was behind it. The eyes looking at him right now were devoid of those sensations. It wasn’t a blank stare; it had everything else that was expected. The exhaustion, the thin layer of anxiety. It was almost scary how well they could mimic that part.</p><p>It wasn’t right. They weren’t allowed to do that.</p><p>Rogelio reached forward and grabbed the changeling by the front of their shirt, lifting them off their feet. “[Change back. You can steal any face here, but not his,]” he growled warningly.</p><p>Trouble smiled, that cocky, toothy grin looking horribly wrong on Kyle’s features. They shifted and changed until they were back in their corrupted reptilian body. “I suppose I’ll have to work on it,” they chuckled. “Though don’t tell me you weren’t fooled for at least a moment.”</p><p>“[Never. Again,]” Rogelio emphasized, letting go.</p><p>Trouble landed gracefully on their feet, smoothing out their skin-tight, black clothes. “Fine, fine. Spoil-sport,” they said, though they only sounded halfway honest. “You have it bad for him, don’t you? That’s adorable. Love is such a… cute little flaw,” they teased, putting a hand on their hip and waving the other in a dismissive gesture. “Are you sure you don’t want me to keep that one on the backburner? I can be great practice for when you finally work up the courage to tell him.”</p><p>Rogelio growled again, leaning over Trouble, unamused.</p><p>“Okay, okay!” Trouble held up both of their hands, though they only seemed minimally intimidated. They edged around the lizardman in front of them. “No more blondie, that’s fine. Plenty more faces to study.” When they got to Rogelio’s other side, they turned and started walking down the hall. “If you change your mind, though, I’ll be around for a little while!” Their tail gave a bit of a flirtatious wave before they once again disappeared around a corner.</p><p>Rogelio huffed. He almost regretted defending them. But… no, he didn’t. Trouble may be an ass, but he truly believed that had nothing to do with being a changeling. People of all races could be difficult; he knew that well. Oh, well. He wouldn’t be taking them up on an offer like that, anyway. Etheria willing, he’d never have to speak to them again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Back when they were kids, Rogelio's team takes on a new team member who is both everything yet nothing of what he expects from humans.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Recruits, today, you’ll be joined by a new member of your team.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rogelio stood at attention next to Adora, with Catra on her other side and Lonnie at the other end of the line. Shadow Weaver stood before them, looking down at the children. It was impossible to read anything behind her mask, but they knew that it didn’t matter. She gave orders, and they followed through. Even at their young ages, they understood that. Horde training had no minimum age.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four had been training together for a year now. Before, it had been just Adora and Catra, who were honestly inseparable. Rogelio joined the team when he and his siblings were sent to the Horde by their parents in a goodwill gesture from their clan. Finally, Lonnie had been the last new member that year ago. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Don’t get attached,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> he remembered his mother telling him and his siblings. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Remember that most of the Horde are not Lizardfolk. They won’t understand you. They will look at you differently. They may even be afraid of you.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn’t been entirely wrong. So far from his team, Catra was wary of him, and Lonnie seemed to see him as a rival of sorts. But then again, Lonnie seemed to see everyone as a rival. Rogelio actually kind of respected that about her. But he certainly did receive a lot of odd looks, and he could hear the other Horde recruits whisper behind his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Recruits, this…” Shadow Weaver stepped to the side, and Rogelio went back to paying attention. “...is Kyle. He will be training with you from now on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy standing behind where she had been was probably the smallest human Rogelio had ever seen. He was short and skinny, with wide brown eyes and messy blond hair. He wasn’t standing at attention like the rest of them, instead fidgeting with his hands in front of him. He seemed nervous, though that was to be expected. He was standing in a room with a bunch of strangers, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Today, I will leave you to acquaint yourselves. Familiarize him with your team and make sure he understands the schedules, laws, and conduct of a Horde Recruit,” Shadow Weaver continued. “I expect him to be settled by tomorrow, as we will start training as a complete group then. For now, I have business to attend. Consider today the only break in your schedule you will ever receive.” With that, she turned and left the training room, not even waiting for them to acknowledge what she said. This was quite normal, as Shadow Weaver always seemed to be on the move. Always scheming… something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as the door closed, the four broke formation and stared at the boy still standing where Shadow Weaver had left him. Kyle glanced up at them, then back at the floor. Oh yeah, that boy was a nervous wreck already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rogelio just snorted and shook his head. Another human. They could have at least put another Lizardfolk on the team. He’d like </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> to understand him. But that was apparently too much to ask for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first to approach was unsurprisingly Adora. Honestly, a friendlier human Rogelio had never met. He couldn’t bring himself to dislike her; it just felt wrong. She all but bounced over to Kyle, leaning down to look at his downcast face. “Hey! I’m Adora!” she greeted cheerfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of replying, the boy made a startled sound, reeling backward. He stared at Adora as if expecting her to attack him. His wide, brown eyes were full of fear. Adora stared back in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Catra snorted as she walked forward as well. She threw an arm around Adora’s shoulders, pointing at her with the other hand. “You’re scared of </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You afraid of your own shadow, too?” Her tail swished back and forth delightedly as she teased the boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle took a few more shuffling steps back, averting his gaze. It was evident that the Felid wasn’t making things any better. The kid wasn’t just nervous; he was terrified. Rogelio almost felt bad for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, if he was that afraid, the boy shouldn’t even be in the Horde. What was Shadow Weaver thinking, bringing him here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back off, Catra,” Lonnie finally spoke up, walking forward as well. She stopped on Adora’s other side and folded her arms over her chest. “Shadow Weaver told us to help him settle and get familiar with us and being a recruit. We can’t do that if you’re going to scare him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are we supposed to do that?” Adora asked, gesturing to him. She wasn’t mocking; she was quite serious. Unsurprising, as she was always serious when it came to orders Shadow Weaver gave. “He won’t even look at us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, got any </span>
  <em>
    <span>brilliant</span>
  </em>
  <span> plans?” Catra scoffed. She, on the other hand, was </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> mocking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lonnie sighed and took a few steps forward. Once again, Kyle stepped back as far. He obviously was expecting something to happen. “Kid… what was it… Kyle? We have orders, and in the Horde, you do what you’re told. That’s the first lesson,” she huffed. “Now get back over here and let us introduce ourselves.” She pointed at the floor in front of herself as if expecting that to have worked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Kyle stayed where he was, squeezing his eyes shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, great,” Catra rolled her eyes, grinning at Adora. The blonde was trying not to smile back but failing. “Really making progress here, aren’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, then, let’s hear </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> ideas!” Lonnie snapped, turning to her and throwing her hands in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rogelio couldn’t take any more of it. They didn’t have time for this. He marched forward, pushing past the three girls. If the boy wasn’t going to be of use to them, then the only option they had was to illustrate that point for when Shadow Weaver returned. Running him off would work just fine. He stopped when he was inches away from the blond boy, leaning down and taking a breath. He let out a roar. It meant nothing in his language other than a vague if violent warning, like a human letting out a scream before attacking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As expected, Kyle flinched at the sound, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. When Rogelio was done, though, he finally surprised them. Kyle eased open an eye and looked up at the lizardman. After a moment, he opened the other. The look in those huge, brown orbs wasn’t fear. It was wonder. He then caught Rogelio completely off guard by smiling. Not just a little smile of the mouth, it was a full, toothy smile that showed off two missing front teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without meaning to, Rogelio barked out a laugh. It was just so ridiculous looking. A human without their front teeth. It was absurd. And after a moment, Kyle laughed too. He probably didn’t even know what Rogelio was laughing at, but at least he wasn’t afraid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” the boy finally said when Rogelio’s guffaws calmed down. “I’m Kyle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Rogelio,]” the lizardman answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle blinked at him, looking confused. “What?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, that had been too much to hope for. Rogelio couldn’t help the pain of disappointment in his gut from that. Of course, Kyle couldn’t understand him. He was only human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Rogelio,” Lonnie said, walking up more cautiously this time and slapping the lizardman on the back. “He doesn’t speak Etherian.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle looked at her with wide eyes and started to backpedal once again. Rogelio rolled his own and reached out, grabbing Kyle by the arm. Surprisingly, he didn’t flinch this time. He let Rogelio halt his retreat, pulling him gently back to stand before Lonnie again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what are you so afraid of?” Adora finally asked, walking over. Catra followed, ever attached to the blonde’s side. She put on her friendliest smile as she added, “We’re teammates now, remember? Can’t work together very well if you’re afraid of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle finally looked up at the girls, looking to each of their expectant faces. He then looked up at Rogelio. The lizardman wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting, what he wanted from it. He stared a moment before reaching out and placing a hand on Kyle’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy seemed to relax instantly, smiling at him again. He then turned back to the girls. “I never wanted to be a Horde soldier,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra scoffed. “No one </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be a Horde soldier,” she said. “It’s just what we are. We were born as them, and someday we’re gonna die as them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the thing! I don’t want to die!” Kyle blurted out, squeezing his hands together again, body trembling. “We’re going to be expected to go out and… and fight Princesses, and put ourselves in danger, and… and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s what your team is for,” Lonnie cut him off, putting a hand on his other shoulder. She finally smiled. “We’re here to have each others’ backs, through thick and thin. Protect each other and push each other through adversity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Adora agreed, putting her hands on her hips. “And we’re the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best</span>
  </em>
  <span> team out there! By the time we even see a battle, we’ll be so close we’ll be unstoppable!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle looked between them relaxing. “Really?” he asked, still uncertain. In the back of his voice, though, there was a hint of something close to hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely,” Lonnie grinned. “Adora might be overly enthusiastic, but she’s got the skills to back it up. We all do. And you will too, someday. We promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Til then, guess it’s our job to keep your butt safe,” Catra said, smirking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’ll protect you, I promise,” Adora smiled. She held out her hand. “I’m Adora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember,” Kyle said lightly, reaching out and finally taking it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Lonnie,” the dark-skinned human said, putting her hand on top of Adora’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Catra,” the Felid followed suit quickly, covering the other side of Adora’s hand. She was obviously trying to make sure Lonnie wasn’t hogging it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rogelio stood with his hand still on Kyle’s shoulder, brain racing. He didn’t know what was happening. He suddenly had this urge to prove himself. No… to prove that this was real. That his mother had been wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ro’!” Lonnie called, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Come on. We’re waiting for you.” She nodded to the pile of hands in the center of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rogelio looked at it, then at the boy next to him. All at once, he knew he had to protect Kyle. Until he was able to hold his own, Rogelio had to hold Kyle up. Keep him from falling behind the overachievers in their team. Keep him </span>
  <em>
    <span>in</span>
  </em>
  <span> their team.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lizardman reached over and covered their hands with his. “[Let’s do this.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that meant, ‘Welcome to the team,’” Adora beamed. She was wrong, but for once, Rogelio didn’t mind. It was okay for her to be wrong about that because it was just as good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because Kyle looked back up at him, and Rogelio knew that the blond boy was what </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> needed in the team. Because Kyle </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> look at him differently. But somehow, he wasn’t afraid.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Isla is the eldest Reptilian in the Horde.</p><p>More importantly, though, she's the closest thing to a mother Kyle has.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isla was the oldest Reptilian in the Horde. It didn’t mean she was particularly brave, smart, or skilled. It only meant she was ridiculously lucky. With deep blue scales covered in scars and a large stature, she was truly an intimidating sight to behold. All of the younger Reptilians – especially her fellow Lizardfolk - declared it a crime of some nature that she was never given the title of Force Captain. What they didn’t understand, no matter how many times she said it, was that she didn’t want the position. She didn’t feel she ever earned it. There was a certain something special needed to be a great Force Captain, something that she lacked. A balance between loyalty and humanity.</p><p>That wasn’t to say that she was cruel. No, the problem was she had far more humanity than loyalty to the Horde. Her loyalties lay with her fellow Reptilians, be they Lizardfolk or Snakekin. This was why every other day she held classes for the younger Reptilians to understand outsiders, their cultures, and the common Etherian language. She believed it was important to learn about them if they ever wished outsiders to understand them in return. Even her students, whom she tried to drill this philosophy into the skulls of, still struggled with the idea. The Lizardfolk especially. Snakekin were far more receptive to her lessons, though that was mostly because they tended not to trust anyone by nature. Thus they horded knowledge about everyone and everything, anything they could use against others if necessary.</p><p>Retirement wasn’t something that was common in the Horde. Death was usually the expected retirement plan. However, Isla had no ability to fight effectively anymore. In her last battle, she lost an eye and arm, both on the left side of her body. She’d fought through the pain of both, adrenaline allowing her to channel it into a blood rage that took the lives of her enemies instead of hers. She received commendations for her fortitude. Not from Hordak, though that didn’t surprise her. He considered her now battered body a sign that she was no longer useful. However, Shadow Weaver had seen the potential for Isla to use the respect she held amongst the Reptilians to help them solidify their duties into loyalty.</p><p>“Humans may have less sturdy bodies than we do, but that’s made up for by their ingenuity,” Isla said, standing at the head of the room she’d been offered as a classroom. There were only seven young Reptilians, most of them barely more than hatchlings. Her lessons weren’t required, but encouraged. Thus, the number of her students and which ones showed up when was always inconsistent. “They have the greatest potential to become skilled in more than one discipline as a result. It’s not uncommon for a human to become skilled enough in melee, ranged, and hand-to-hand combat to hold their own in all three if necessary. The problem is this leaves most of them without a mastery of any.”</p><p>“So what’s their purpose on a team if they don’t have anything they can do better than everyone else?” a young Lizardfolk asked, raising her hand.</p><p>“Humans specialize in a mastery they call the ‘Jack of All Trades,’” Isla explained. “Skilled in enough talents that their contribution is to be able to pick up whatever is needed for the moment.” She stopped as the alarm sitting on her desk went off. “Alright, that’s it for today. Return to your duties, and don’t forget what I taught you,” she announced as the children started packing themselves up. “As an exercise, you should speak to any humans in your teams and ask what talents they have. Note the patterns and figure out what you should contribute to balance them.”</p><p>The children left quickly to return to whatever duties they were assigned that day. Not many breaks in the Horde, so finding the time even for these lessons was always difficult.</p><p>Isla watched them for a moment then turned to gather up her notes. She liked keeping track of what she taught on what days, that way she could keep things fresh. Students were more likely to return for more if she didn’t accidentally repeat lessons.</p><p>As Isla shuffled her papers, something that she’d developed some skill with one-handed, she sniffed the air. She smiled, knowing before he even opened the door who had come to visit on his break.</p><p>“You should be spending break with your team, Kyle,” the Lizardwoman said without even turning around.</p><p>The boy’s light footsteps reached the middle of the room before they stopped. “I don’t get a lot of chances to see you anymore, though,” he simply stated.</p><p>Isla chuckled, finally turning around. The young man was smiling up at her, making her heart swell. What a good boy Kyle was. If someone twenty years ago told her she would feel so much motherly affection for a human, she would have called them insane. And then probably punch them. Now, though, she opened her arm up and leaned down a bit. “Alright, kiddo, bring it in.”</p><p>Kyle broke into a grin and ran the rest of the length of the room, throwing his arms around her. It wasn’t exactly easy, the human was so much smaller than her that his hands didn’t even touch around her back. But that was part of why she loved him so much. Kyle was something small and sweet and worth protecting. It was the entire reason she brought him here. This was why even with one arm she engulfed him in her own hug, laying her head on his protectively. It was reflex for Lizardfolk to surround those they loved so completely and protectively when they were held.</p><p>“I need to find more time to come visit you,” Kyle sighed, not letting go. “You’re always teaching when I have break, though.”</p><p>“I need to hold as many classes as I can,” Isla said, though it was information he already knew. “So my people can always find me whenever they need me.”</p><p>“I know,” Kyle replied, finally pulling himself back from her tight embrace. She loosened herself from around him, allowing him the space he needed. She learned over the years with him that humans tended to get fussy if they were restricted even by affectionate gestures. “That’s why I’m here now, though. It’s my turn.”</p><p>Isla chuckled, lifting the boy easily even with one arm. She sat him on the desk, hopping to sit next to him. “Alright, alright. You win, I’m here. What’s been new for you, short stuff?” she asked, leaning her elbow on a knee to watch him.</p><p>Kyle in turn leaned back on the desk, planting his hands behind himself and sighing. “I’m exhausted, Mama Isla,” he said. Well, that probably didn’t need to be said. He <em>looked</em> exhausted. The bags under his eyes were only getting worst.</p><p>“Are you not sleeping when you should be?” Isla asked sternly. She couldn’t help it, the boy worried her.</p><p>“I wish I could, but Catra has us all running ragged,” Kyle complained, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. He almost looked like he was ready to let go of his hold on the desk and flop back. “Me especially. I don’t know why she keeps singling me out to <em>do</em> everything.”</p><p>“Because you <em>do</em>,” Isla chuckled. It was a small sound, though, as she didn’t like that Catra was pushing him to his limits. “When you’re asked to do something, you always do. And you do it as well as you can.”</p><p>“Too bad nothing I do is <em>good</em>, though,” Kyle muttered, kicking a foot out and letting his heel come back to kick the desk. “I suck at everything I’m asked to do. It makes me wonder why she keeps counting on me to get stuff done. Lonnie would be a better choice.”</p><p>“You do <em>not</em> ‘suck’ at everything,” Isla scolded, reaching over and putting a hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “If you’re failing, it’s because  you’re too tired to work effectively right now.”</p><p>The blond snorted, opening an eye and looking at her. “Sure, that’s my excuse right <em>now</em>. What about every <em>other</em> time I’ve made an idiot of myself? Everyone knows I’m a screw up. No reason to pretend otherwise.”</p><p>“Kyle,” Isla said sharply. She hated hearing him talk like that about himself. “You’re <em>not</em> a screw up. You’re a hard worker, a valuable part of the Horde. Do your teammates think you’re a screw up?”</p><p>“Of course they do,” Kyle said, drawing his knees up to his chest and laying his arms on top, chin resting on them. “Anytime something goes wrong, it’s my fault. Even when it’s not my fault, it’s still my fault. Because I can’t do anything right.” He stared at the floor for a moment then asked, “Why did you bring me to the Horde? Sometimes I think it would’ve been better to just leave me behind.”</p><p>“Kyle!” Isla said in surprise. “That’s ridiculous! I don’t want you to <em>ever</em> say anything like that again! I brought you here because you <em>deserved</em> a chance!”</p><p>“For what?!” Kyle finally snapped, looking at her sharply. “To prove that I’m a failure at everything I do?! To make an idiot of myself at every turn?! What’s the point of me being here?! Who would even care if I died in that barn?! Maybe you should’ve let me!”</p><p>Isla couldn’t even speak, so shocked she was at Kyle’s outburst. He was usually so quiet, so soft-spoken and non-confrontational. It was the reason Catra could take advantage of him to the point of the exhaustion that surely was causing this. Yes, that had to be the answer. He was just so tired it was making him volatile. She moved her hand to put it on his head, sighing. “Kyle, you need to go get some sleep. You’re lucky you just yelled like that at me and not someone with actual authority. I would hate to see you get punished for speaking out of turn like that.”</p><p>“What would it matter?” Kyle said again, laying his face in his arms this time. His entire body slumped, and Isla was almost afraid he was going to fall off the desk like that. “At least if I was suspended or thrown into a cell I’d finally have time <em>to</em> sleep.” He sat like that, Isla petting his hair gently, mulling in his own thoughts. Now that he’d calmed down he said, “I’m sorry, Mama Isla. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that.”</p><p>“I’m not angry you yelled,” Isla said gently, leaning over him protectively. “I’m angry that you would ever think you’re worthless, my little one. Do you really regret me bringing you here?” She was afraid of the answer. She had brought Kyle to the Horde in a moment of mercy, to give him a second chance at life. He was so young, so small and helpless. She couldn’t bear the thought of him out there all alone at such a young age. He surely wouldn’t have survived.</p><p>Kyle was quiet for a little while. After a few minutes, Isla thought the exhaustion finally caught up to him and he’d fallen asleep. However, he finally said, “I would never regret what you did for me, Mama Isla. Even though I’m no good at being in the Horde, I do like it here. I have you, and Lonnie, and…” He trailed off, and Isla smiled.</p><p>Isla knew well how Kyle felt for Rogelio. He didn’t have to say it. Watching them together brought her joy, as she knew Rogelio felt the same. She didn’t need to know him as intimately as she did Kyle. His pheromones went through the roof when Kyle was around him, it was honestly adorable.</p><p>Now if only she could find a way to get them to admit they had feelings for each other without saying it herself. She had no right to reveal their personal feelings. Even if she wanted to throw them against each other just to see what would happen. Honestly, two people more oblivious she had never met in her life.</p><p>“I know, Kyle. Look, I know you’re worried about getting in trouble, so… why don’t you rest here for a while?” Isla suggested. “My next class isn’t for another hour, and you could use at least the nap.</p><p>Kyle raised his head finally, looking at her with wide eyes. There was the Kyle she knew and loved. “But… if I’m not back from break soon, Catra-”</p><p>“I’ll deal with Catra if it comes to it,” Isla smiled down at him. “You need to sleep, even for a little bit. You’re my little one, I’m not letting you go without you taking a nap.”</p><p>Kyle opened his mouth to argue, but the closed it. He sighed. “Alright, but don’t get into too much trouble on my account,” he said, finally smiling in return. He leaned towards Isla until he lay down across the desk and her lap, using his arms as a pillow as he closed his eyes.</p><p>The lizardwoman gently pet Kyle’s hair again, relaxing as she felt his breath even out. It didn’t take long before he fell into a well-earned sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'll probably have the next chapter be about how Isla and Kyle met, and how she brought him to the Horde.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Years ago, Isla met a little boy in a barn.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter warning: This chapter has some mildly descriptive death in it. If blood makes you squeamish, I suggest you skip this one.</p><p>I don't know why, but writing Kyle as a cynical little boy just feels right.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a routine invasion, all things considered. The Horde had located a village that hadn’t been taken under their banner yet. It wasn’t much, just a small farming village. But, hey, Horde soldiers had to eat too, and those ration bars weren’t made of air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There had been almost no resistance. That was to be expected these days. The former Princess Rebellion couldn’t hold themselves together anymore, so they couldn’t coordinate and organize well enough to protect everyone. By the time they even realized what had happened, the Horde would have enough of a presence in the village that if the Princesses came sniffing around, they wouldn’t leave without some laser burns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The key word, though was ‘almost.’ Some of the farmers had risen and tried to fight the Horde soldiers that had invaded. Well, that was all well and good for Force Captain Grizzlor and his forces, Isla included. Nothing pacified a village quite like watching the only people brave enough to stand up getting slaughtered like animals. They didn’t even lose any soldiers; it was almost dull. Almost senseless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as the few who fought were struck down, the rest of the village fell in line. They stood, petrified, as Grizzlor gave them their new instructions. They could keep just enough of what they produced to feed themselves. Everything else would be crated up to be sent to the Fright Zone, where it would be processed into ration bars. As long as they did so and no one else was foolish enough to fight, everything would be like the Horde had never been here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, except for slightly fewer villagers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the Horde guards that would monitor every move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla didn’t consider any of this particularly tragic. The Horde was the power. They were the future. Anyone who didn’t accept that would be run over by the treads of their war machines. Especially these human Etherians.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Humans, ugh. What pathetic, squishy creatures. It was why she was glad she worked under Grizzlor. Better the beasts than humans. He sent her to investigate the outer farms, make sure they didn’t miss anyone. Because of her superior Lizardfolk sense of smell, she could sniff out someone in hiding quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d gone through two farms so far but hadn’t found anyone. Useless as they were, the humans were smart. Good survival instincts. Surrender and they would live.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she approached the third farm, Isla knew something was wrong. The scent of humans lingered, which was completely normal, but everything was far too quiet. She slowed to a stop and sniffed the air again. Even the animals were quiet here. In the other farms, because the humans had left, the animals made noises and shifted around uneasily. But here there was… nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla observed her surroundings. This was a small farm: a chicken coop, a small vegetable garden. There were a farmhouse and a barn as well, but even they were smaller than the others. What a pitiful little stretch of land. Did they even contribute to their village? Even more selfish than other humans. She hated them already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lizardwoman approached the farmhouse first. It had the most hiding places, was the most likely place someone would hide. They had to be informed that they had no choice. They would fall in line, or they would suffer the consequences. It was how the world worked. The Lizardfolk fell in line. For the sake of their clans and families, they protected their future. Humans were disgusting, stubborn creatures.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ascended the steps into the house cautiously. Definitely something wrong. The scent of humans was growing stronger. She pushed the door open slowly, listening to it creak eerily. She stepped into a living space with a sofa, recliner, and a mantle with a few pictures. The rug was uncomfortably soft, and a fire had recently been put out of the fireplace. She could still see hot coals glowing inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla approached the mantle, but a sound behind her caused her to stop. The smallest scuffing of shoes on the floor. The sound of something cutting the air behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla turned quickly, catching the handle of the pitchfork that had been swung at her in one hand. The old man on the other end looked at her in surprise as he couldn’t even pull it away. Of course he couldn’t, though. He was a scrawny elderly human, practically skin and bones. The most impressive thing about him was the full, thick grey beard he sported. Isla was at least a foot taller than him and pure lizardwoman muscle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla growled at him, narrowing her eyes as she yanked him forward by the handle he was still holding. The old man stumbled, and she caught him by the throat. He made a startled sound followed by a choking one as she lifted him that way. He let go of the pitchfork to grip her forearm with both hands, relieving the pressure at least enough on his windpipe that he could breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla brought his face up to hers, hissing in warning, “You have two choices, old man. Submit to the Horde or die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old man pushed his throat out of her grip just enough to say, “Fuck the Horde...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the wrong answer. Isla growled low in her throat, letting go. The old man dropped like a sack of potatoes, landing in a sitting position as he rubbed his throat and coughed. Isla didn’t give him much time to recover as she planted a foot on his chest, forcing him onto his back on the hardwood floor with a wheeze. She turned the pitchfork she still held and pointed it at his throat. “Last chance. Submit,” she demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old man, to his credit, didn’t look afraid. Despite his obvious flaws as a human, he looked at her defiantly even as he stared down his death. “My daughter and her husband died fighting your evil,” he hissed in return. “I will not dishonor their memories, you Horde bitch.” He managed a defiant smile. “Long live the Princess Alliance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Princess Alliance crumbled to us!” Isla snapped, raising the pitchfork. “And you will join your pathetic family in the afterlife, you stupid old man!” And with that, she brought it back down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t a quick death. The old man gurgled, wheezed, his eyes rolled back. His body convulsed as it fought the blood that invaded organs where it didn’t belong. Isla watched the entire time until his body finally ceased, last twitches of clinging life stilling. She pulled the pitchfork out and threw it to the side in disgust, heading for the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A lonely old man. What a waste that had been. Still, she had to admit she was at least a little impressed that he could stare death in the eye like that and not even blink. That he could hold by his ideals to the very end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla wasn’t evil, though. The Horde wasn’t evil. They existed for order, structure, survival.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had to believe that because even considering the idea that they had sold their children into the service of an organization with no morality to stand on was unacceptable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she shook those thoughts out of her head, Isla suddenly stopped. She sniffed the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another human. She almost didn’t smell it, the scent was so faint. But there was one here. She followed the smell as she reached the barn. Was the old man not as lonely as she had thought?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another sniff of the air and she realized why she hadn’t smelled it before. It was coming from a haystack. The scent of the dry straw had almost overpowered the scent of whoever was hiding inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, no one could escape the Horde. Whoever it was, they would face the same choice. Submit or die.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That thought was in her mind as she stopped in front of the haystack and dug her hands in, rooting around. After a moment, she felt something solid, and there was a startled sound inside. She grinned in triumph and pulled, though it was far lighter than she expected. Far smaller.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t hurt me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla stopped in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was holding a human child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Small and pale and blond-haired. He was practically a hatchling. He was also shaking and crying in fear as she held him by the arms in front of her. And something inside of her twinged in sympathy. Why did she look at this human child and feel guilty? That had never happened to her before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“P-please… I’m s-s-sorry… I d-don’t…” the boy babbled, seeming incapable of articulating anything close to an actual sentence. “G-grandpa… w-where…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. That was what was causing her to feel guilt. The realization inside that if this child was inside the barn on this property, he was related to the old man. The one she just murdered. The one whose wife and son-in-law had died not long ago in the Rebellion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She killed the only family this child had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, the fact that every Rebellion soldier she slaughtered during the Princess Alliance had a family attached somewhere, and some of them probably had children, was always a lingering implication. People didn’t just appear out of thin air. Everyone was related to someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But this was the first time she ever held a child who had nothing because of the Horde before her. Because </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> had killed the last person he had. It was her fault that he was all alone now. And at his age? There was no way he could survive without a family, especially a human child. How long would he have hidden there? What would have happened if she hadn’t scented him? If when he finally left, he went to the house to find his grandfather dead?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla’s gut wrenched. This child was a living consequence of her unquestioning loyalty to the Horde. Her willingness to do whatever it took. Family was the essential thing for Lizardfolk. Family was everything. They sold themselves into the Horde to protect it. And she took that away from this boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The longer Isla held him in front of her without doing anything, the calmer the boy got. His panicked breathing and sobs softened. Finally, after a couple of minutes, he opened his eyes to look at the lizardwoman holding him at arm’s length. And, surprising her, he asked, “...are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla blinked. He was scared and sad, yet he was asking if </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> was alright? That was absurd. Yet here they were. She managed a smile, kneeling onto the barn floor and putting the boy down. “I’m alright,” she assured him. She smiled wider to show it, showing off her rows of sharp fangs. Most humans grimaced at the sight. The boy instead smiled back despite his tear trails.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry if I scared you,” the boy said. “You scared me first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla felt her heart warm. There was purity in that simple statement that she couldn’t remember seeing since she became a soldier. “It’s quite alright,” she replied. “I’m Isla. What’s your name, child?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kyle,” he said. “...where’s my grandpa? He told me to hide in the barn and went in the house. I thought he’d come to get me when the Horde left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla’s heart clenched again. How did one explain…? “He is… not coming to get you. He was killed because he resisted,” she said softly, choosing not to mention that she was the one who did it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle’s face fell, and his body slumped. “Oh…” he whispered, looking at the ground. “Are they going to kill me, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t the response Isla had expected. He was a child. He should be screaming and crying right now. Upset that his grandfather was dead. “No, Kyle. I am Horde, you know. I won’t hurt you, and I won’t let anyone else do it. Are… you not sad that your grandfather died?” It was a risk to ask, but she felt the need to know. It was such an unnerving reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, but… he always told me that if the Horde came, he’d die. That’s what the Horde does. They kill people,” Kyle said matter-of-factly. After a moment, he finally started shaking again, tears welling back up. “But… </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t want to die… I never did anything bad to the Horde…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not going to die,” Isla immediately said, putting a hand on his hair. It was so soft. “I told you, I’m going to make sure of it.” She thought a moment. How could she protect him from the Horde when she was a part of it? Wait… that was it. “The Horde can’t kill you if you’re inside of it, you know. Make yourself useful, and they have no reason to hurt you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle looked back up at her, unsure. “But… I don’t know how to fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need more than just soldiers,” Isla smiled. “You don’t have to fight, I promise. We’ll find something you can do for us. But the important thing is that you’ll be safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle pursed his lips together, looking conflicted. “Mama and papa fought the Horde.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And they died. Everyone who fights the Horde dies,” Isla answered gravely. “That was why your grandfather made sure you were ready for if we came. He knew he would die because he planned to fight. Fighting us is foolish. Honoring your family is important, but so is living so they will be remembered. If they were alive, would they want you to live or die?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… guess they’d want me to live,” Kyle said slowly, considering the words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you must live,” Isla concluded. “Live a long life so they will be proud of all the great things you do. I will help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle sniffed in, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. “You promise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do,” Isla nodded. She stood and held out a hand. “I will protect you, Kyle. For the honor of your family, you will be part of mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kyle looked at the hand, then up to her. Finally, he took a deep breath. The face he put on was so brave, it made Isla proud just looking at it. He put his hand in hers, and the promise was sealed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kyle needs sleep, as per usual. Lonnie decides to take pity on him and sends him to bed, but all is not what it seems.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rogelio knew someone needed to stand up for Kyle when he entered the Horde locker room and found the boy sleeping. He was lying on the bench in the middle, snoring lightly. A uniform shirt had been tucked under his head, meaning Lonnie had already probably been through and seen this. She was the only member who would take enough pity to let him continue his nap right there. Anyone else would’ve woken him up just to be an ass.</p><p>Well, except Scorpia.</p><p>Rogelio walked over and sat on the bench next to the boy, watching him. He was looking paler lately. Etheria, did it worry the Lizardman. He reached over and ran a hand over Kyle’s hair, brushing it out of his face.</p><p>Why was a human so cute? That always baffled him. Humans were… strange-looking to Reptilians. No scales, no fur, nothing generally special about them at all. Claws and fangs were non-existent, nothing to defend themselves if they lost their weapons. Except for maybe fists, but even then, they weren’t as strong as the Minotaurs. And even among humans, Kyle was especially small he’d learned.</p><p>That didn’t make him less strong, though. One of the things Reptilians understood more than most other races was that strength and size don’t necessarily correlate. Someone didn’t have to be as large as Rogelio, who was admittedly tall and muscular even for a Lizardfolk of his age, to prove themselves. For some reason, a lot of other races thought being smaller relegated you to specific roles. Sure, Kyle would never hold a large weapon, but that didn’t make him less dangerous. The boy himself seemed convinced of it, though.</p><p>That was why he did it all. He wanted to be useful, prove that he could help even though he tended to get tripped up.</p><p>Rogelio wished he could help. Could give him that confidence.</p><p>The Lizardman was startled out of his thoughts as Kyle started pushing himself up, yawning loudly. He pulled his hand back quickly, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Still, he watched the boy yawn again as he stretched, rubbing his eyes afterward.</p><p>When Kyle managed to get awake enough to focus, he blinked a few times and finally looked at his unexpected companion. “Oh… hey, Ro…” he said tiredly, managing a smile. “What time is it?”</p><p>Rogelio pulled out his communicator, looking at it. He then held it up so Kyle could see.</p><p>The blond human squinted at it a moment before letting out a, “AaaaaAAAHHH!!!” He jumped off the bench, straightening out his hair as best he could. It still stuck up on one side from laying on it, though. “I’m late; Catra’s gonna kill me! I have to do my rounds!”</p><p>Rogelio stood up. He wanted to tell him it was alright, that he’d take care of it. Kyle still looked dead tired. He needed to go get some sleep. Before he could say anything, though, Kyle was already running for the door.</p><p>The boy slid to a halt when someone appeared in the door, though.</p><p>“Whoa, what’s the hurry, Kyle?” Lonnie asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“I’ve got to go do my rounds; I’m late!” Kyle said in a panic, trying to go around her.</p><p>The dark-skinned girl stuck out her arm, though, blocking him. She looked him over. “Yeah… no. Kyle, you look like you’re going to fall over at any second. I’ll go do the rounds. You hit the bunks and get some sleep.”</p><p>Kyle looked at her in surprise. Rogelio mirrored it. As much as Lonnie cared about the two of them, she still took their duties seriously. Besides, didn’t she have her own responsibilities to attend to?</p><p>“Are… are you sure?” Kyle asked uncertainly, looking back at Rogelio.</p><p>The Lizardman walked over to encourage him. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. He then stopped when it hit him. His eyes narrowed at Lonnie as soon as Kyle turned back to her.</p><p>“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Lonnie grinned, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Go on, as long as it gets done, that’s the important part. You’re not going to be able to get <em>anything</em> done if you don’t go get some sleep, though. Seriously, you look like the walking dead.”</p><p>“Oh… uh… thanks, I think,” Kyle finally managed. He still looked grateful. “I’ll see you guys later, then. I’m gonna… I’m going to go get some sleep…” He said it like it was a dream come true, so to speak. As he disappeared through the door, footsteps leading down the hall, Rogelio turned back to the girl watching him go.</p><p>“[You can drop the disguise,]” the Lizardman growled, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p>Lonnie looked back at him, mouth curling up into a wide, toothy grin. She blinked, and her eyes turned yellow before the rest of her shimmered black, form shifting until Double Trouble stood where she was. “Don’t sound <em>too</em> grateful that I just let your cute little human go get some much-needed sleep,” they drawled, putting a hand on their hip. Their tail swished back and forth lazily.</p><p>“[What you did is get him in more trouble,]” Rogelio snapped, leaning down, so he was face to face with the Changeling. “[I should’ve known it was you from the start, but I couldn’t smell you from over there. Lonnie is on patrol, though, and won’t be back for a few hours. Everyone who knows she’s gone is going to get suspicious if they see her walking around here. Let alone that Kyle isn’t doing his duties.]”</p><p>“Yes, but you won’t <em>let</em> me turn into <em>him</em>,” Trouble said pointedly, rolling their eyes. “So I don’t know what you want me to do. I just wanted to thank you for standing up for me before,” they added, raising their hand to look at the nails idly. “I thought you’d appreciate it if I gave your little boy-toy a respite from his dogged days of work. I’ve done my duty, but there’s only one logical conclusion to how I make it work. That is if you don’t assault me again.”</p><p>Rogelio growled low in his throat. He looked away from the Changeling, backing away and lashing his tail violently. The damn arrogant… they were forcing him into a corner. If he didn’t let them become Kyle and do the rounds, Kyle gets in trouble for skipping his duties. If he did, Trouble would get a victory by exploiting a loophole into the simple demand.</p><p>Etheria, Trouble <em>was</em> a master of manipulation.</p><p>“You can think about it all you want,” Trouble spoke up, leaning on the doorframe, “But the longer you take, the later Kyle is to do his job. And the later he is, the more irritated our little kitten is going to be.”</p><p>Rogelio gave a warning growl at them, clenching his fists. They were right, though, and he knew it. The longer he brooded on this, the more trouble Kyle was going to get into. He finally snapped, “[Fine! This once! But not ever again!]”</p><p>Trouble actually let out a light chuckle. They pushed off the frame, walking over with their hands behind their back. “This is the <em>exact</em> reason I don’t do romance,” they chuckled, walking circles around Rogelio. Their tail trailed behind them, curling around Rogelio like a serpent twining around a tree. “Too many liabilities. Weaknesses to exploit. Also, people are generally jerks.”</p><p>“[You’re not cynical at all,]” Rogelio grunted sarcastically.</p><p>“Not cynical. Realistic. You need to determine the difference in my line of work.” Trouble stopped as they came back around in front of the Lizardman. They faced him, bodies inches from each other. The Changeling lifted a hand, walking their fingers from Rogelio’s arm, still crossed in front of himself, up to his chest. “That’s not to say that I don’t sometimes… dally.”</p><p>Rogelio finally released his arms, grabbing Trouble’s wrist roughly before they could touch his face. “[I don’t dally,]” he simply growled. “[Now get on that patrol before I have to explain to Catra why her favorite spy has a broken tail.]”</p><p>“Alright, alright!” Trouble yelped as Rogelio squeezed. When the Lizardman finally let go, they rubbed their wrist, glaring up at him. At least it wiped the smug look off their face. They stuck their flat nose in the air with a “Hmph!” Then walked towards the door, body shimmering as it transformed into Rogelio’s favorite human.</p><p>“[This is the last time,]” Rogelio reminded in warning. “[Pull something like this again, and I’ll be finding out how far you bend before you snap.]”</p><p>Seeing a bitter, huffy glare from Kyle’s face was bizarre, but almost worth it knowing it was Trouble who was angry at him. “You might be different, but you’re still a brute,” he snapped before turning the corner around the door and disappearing.</p><p>Rogelio listened to those footsteps disappear the opposite way down the hall. He then sighed, running a hand over his scaled head and shaking it. Trouble was going to be the end of him if Kyle wasn’t first.</p><p>The Lizardman decided to go make sure no one noticed that a Kyle was sleeping while another was going on his rounds. He made his way down to the barracks, where the rows of bunk beds were. Kyle’s was over his, which both delighted and unnerved the Lizardman. Delighted because they were so close, unnerved because Kyle had almost fallen out of that top bunk more than a few dozen times in the time they’d been there. It was a miracle of the First Ones that he hadn’t injured himself yet.</p><p>When he entered the barracks, Rogelio was unsurprised there wasn’t anyone else there. Their sectional squads had duties during this time of day, so no one had time to sleep. Well, unless they lucked out by owing a favor to a Changeling, apparently. He looked over to their beds and huffed out a light chuckle. Kyle hadn’t even made it to the top bunk. He’d gotten to Rogelio’s and all but collapsed face-first into it.</p><p>The snoring was a lot less soft now that Kyle was actually fully sleeping for once. Still just as cute, though.</p><p>Rogelio walked over, lifting the leg that was still hanging off the side of his bed and adjusting the boy, so he was on there a lot less… haphazard and awkwardly. He sighed, watching Kyle sleep again. Maybe it was weird that he kept doing that, but it was the only time he could simply… watch him without anyone knowing. Look over him, make sure he was okay. See what he could provide that would make him happier, healthier. It was a natural Lizardman instinct.</p><p>When he determined there was nothing else he could do, though, Rogelio finally turned to go. He had his own things to take care of, and…</p><p>“Ro… don’t go…”</p><p>Rogelio halted, all but freezing at the words. He turned slowly to stare at the boy, but… sure enough, he was still asleep. Just talking in it. The Lizardman watched a bit longer, now conflicted. His brain told him to go do his job. His heart and his instincts told him to stay.</p><p>“…please…?” Kyle mumbled in his sleep, curling up on the bed.</p><p>And that was all he needed to hear. Rogelio walked back over to the bed, crawling on and reaching out. He was hesitant, careful. Trying his best not to wake the boy up. But he wrapped Kyle in his arms, pulling him against the Lizardman’s chest. He curled himself around the much smaller human, tail wrapping around them securely. His heart skipped when Kyle sighed, snuggling in against him and settling, a small smile appearing on his angelic, sleeping face.</p><p>This was how it was supposed to be. At least, to Rogelio, it should’ve been. Kyle should be his mate; he should be able to provide this for him at all times. A feeling of safety, warmth, comfort. All of the things that every Lizardfolk instinctively knew they needed to give to their loved ones.</p><p>For now, though, Rogelio closed his eyes and settled for it being this once.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Double Trouble makes a visit to the Valley of the Lost before infiltrating the Princesses. It doesn't go as they wanted, but probably how they expected.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter Warning: This chapter has implied child neglect and substance abuse. Reader discretion is advised.</p><p>I've been wanting to do a Trouble chapter for a while, and after featuring them in my last chapter I decided to finally go for it. This isn't a happy chapter, I'm afraid. I'll have better things for them later, though.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was hard to say what Double Trouble honestly considered home. Wherever they were most comfortable, they supposed. Where the work was good and the pay even better. Wherever they could get the most out of life through their performances.</p><p>The Crimson Wastes weren’t a bad place to say in the meantime.</p><p>Not that they were living there at the time. No, currently, they occupied space in the Fright Zone, though that was going to change when Trouble infiltrated the Princesses. They had to make one stop first back in the Valley of the Lost. They needed something for this performance.</p><p>“Things that boring in the Fright Zone that you gotta come back here?” one of the residents called as Trouble weaved through the crowds of the Valley. They were smart enough – and experienced enough in this place – to know not to keep anything loose and easily grabbed on themself. Otherwise, the skilled pickpockets would make easy work of everything they owned.</p><p>“Not as boring as any conversation <em>you</em> can give me, Jade!” Trouble called over to the Snakekin woman leaning on the door to one of the shops.</p><p>“[Cesar owes me much money, Trouble! Someone pays me, or I take another finger from his hand!]” the bright green Snakekin woman called after them.</p><p>“[I’ll take care of it!]” Trouble called back in exasperation before turning a corner. They rolled their eyes as they approached a small cluster of houses. Well, ‘houses’ may have been generous. They were more like tents with slightly more solid walls. The ceilings were nothing but cloths tied on by any means necessary and achievable. Afterthoughts. It was good enough.</p><p>It never rained in the wastes.</p><p>Trouble hated that.</p><p>They started moving more silently as they approached one of the huts, pushing aside the blanket draped across the entrance in place of a door. Such things wouldn’t keep a thief out in the Valley of the Lost, so few people bothered. Especially those who had nothing worth stealing.</p><p>The Changeling looked around a moment, then heard a snorting sound coming from the room directly to their right. They rolled their golden eyes again, suppressing a sigh. Of course. Trouble walked into what could be called a living room if one was generous. There was an uncomfortable, old, beaten sofa and one wooden chair. A fireplace for when the freezing nights set in, but at the moment, it wasn’t lit. Lithe, skilled legs stepped over and around bottles littering the floor until they reached the sofa, leaning on the back.</p><p>A huge lizardman lay there, sleeping off whatever toxic crap he’d drank. Trouble reached over him, picking up a bottle that was on his chest. They wrinkled their flat nose in disgust.</p><p>Kin Venom. The most potent alcohol the Wastes had unfortunately cursed the world with. Well, to just call it alcohol wasn’t giving it enough credit. There were things inside the Snakekin wouldn’t tell anyone. They claimed it was to keep the secret safe and not risk someone stealing their recipes.</p><p>Trouble was pretty sure it was because if anyone knew what the ‘secret ingredients’ were, no one would drink it. Pits, it was so infamous for its potency, addictiveness, and probability of killing a person should they drink too much that the Snakekin had few customers for it outside of the Wastes. Even if someone replicated it, they probably would still have the market cornered simply because their customer base was concentrated in one place.</p><p>There was another snorting sound, and Trouble looked back down at the lizardman on the sofa. He was massive; one of the largest most would probably have met with bulging muscles. Unfortunately, he now had a bulging gut as well. His scales were the same light green as Trouble’s, and the Changeling remembered him being cleaner, more handsome, and less out of shape once. A proud warrior of the Lizardfolk.</p><p>Trouble grunted and hooked their arms under the lizardman, groaning as they struggled to move him. Eventually, they managed to tip the massive man over and off the sofa with a resounding THUD on the floor.</p><p>“[ALERT THE GUARDS, WE’VE BEEN-]” the lizardman roared in his native tongue as he was startled out of his sleep, sitting up and looking around quickly. He stopped when he looked up at Trouble, who was looking at him without amusement. He switched to common, rubbing his back as he yawned. “Dante, you know not to scare me like that. I could’ve killed you out of instinct.”</p><p>“Ten years ago, maybe,” Trouble shook their head, turning and heading across the entrance hall back to the tiny kitchen area. It was really nothing but a small table with two stools, a cooking fire, some old pots, and a pantry that was falling apart. They opened the doors to the pantry and made a face when nothing was in there. “No wonder why Jade is telling me you owe her money!” they called as the lizardman stood up and cracked his back all the way down to his tail. “You spent all of the money I sent you again on Venom, didn’t you? Dammit, Cesar, I’ve told you time and again! That money is for food, not-”</p><p>“That’s no way to speak to your father!” Cesar snapped as he finally came in, standing in the doorway to the kitchen.</p><p>“Jade said she’s taking another finger if you don’t pay her! You can’t keep letting it get that bad!” Trouble ignored the comment, turning and putting their hands on their hips.</p><p>“I’ve only lost two!” Cesar said defensively, holding up his hands to show Trouble. Sure enough, there were stumps where the pinky of his right hand and middle finger of his left hand were.</p><p>“That’s two less than anyone should have!” Trouble argued. “Look at you! You’re so determined to drink yourself to death that you’re completely out of shape, you probably haven’t swung your sword in a decade, you’re missing two fingers, from the looks of it a couple of fangs…” They ran their hands through their blond hair, tail thrashing in exasperation. “It’s no wonder I have to keep sending you money; no one will hire you anymore like this! I’d just send you food so you wouldn’t starve, but I’m pretty sure you’d just sell that for money to buy Venom anyway!” They grabbed a cabinet door and slammed it shut in anger. “I can’t be here to make sure you’re not going to die of your own neglect!”</p><p>Double Trouble wasn’t usually this temperamental. They long since learned to keep their emotions in check and only let them out when necessary. Their father was the only person who could do this to them. The only person who could make them lose control of themself anymore.</p><p>They hated it.</p><p>“Don’t you talk to me like that, Dante. I’m your father, and-” Cesar started as he walked into the kitchen. He pointed dangerously at Trouble in warning.</p><p>Trouble cut him off, though. “For the last time, I am not <em>Dante</em>! I hate that name, I hate this place, and I especially hate <em>you</em>!”</p><p>Silence rang through the air after that statement, settling heavily between them.</p><p>This would, in any other story, be when the narrator says that Trouble regretted saying it.</p><p>That, however, would be a lie. And while Trouble had no problem lying (it was literally their job), this wasn’t one. They hated that they were wasting money they could be using to live luxuriously by sending it here. They hated that they felt obligated to continue taking care of a parent who couldn’t take care of himself. They should feel pity that this was what was left of their father after Trouble’s Changeling mother left, abandoning them.</p><p>All Trouble could feel was resentment, disgust, and anger. Cesar had <em>never</em> treated them like his child unless it was convenient. Unless he could get something out of them.</p><p>It was time for this to stop.</p><p>“No more,” Trouble said evenly, fists clenched at their sides as they glared at Cesar. “No more money. If you’re going to continue doing this shit, you’re doing it with money <em>you</em> earn. Not me. I’m done wasting my time and money on you.”</p><p>“[I am your father!]” Cesar roared in their native tongue as if it made the difference.</p><p>“[Then act like it for once!]” Trouble screeched back. “If you want to keep pulling that card every time I see you, then act like you’re an actual adult! <em>You</em> be responsible for either your food or your Venom problem because I’m not going to be anymore!” With that, Trouble stomped towards the door, body trembling as they forced themself to keep that carefully trained emotional control. If they showed extreme emotions, especially negative ones, it was usually planned and acted. They wouldn’t start breaking that now.</p><p>“Don’t you leave like this!” Cesar demanded, reaching out and grabbing Trouble by the arm.</p><p>That was the last straw. Trouble grabbed his wrist and, in one smooth motion, twisted their body. Before Cesar could even register what happened, Trouble was standing behind him, the green lizardman’s arm pulled up and back. Cesar roared and hissed, trying to break free of it. But Trouble was far stronger than they looked.</p><p>They had to be to survive out here with a deadbeat father and no one else to take care of them.</p><p>“I won’t be coming back here again. There’s <em>nothing</em> worth coming back to,” Trouble hissed as they pulled the arm. “I’m not telling you where I’m going, and if you try to find me, I will make you miserable. Do you understand me?”</p><p>The Changeling didn’t receive any response other than continued growling in protest. Still, they let the lizardman go and stepped back. They then left through the cloth door, marching out and away from the huts there.</p><p>As Trouble stomped through the Valley, they spotted Jade still leaning on her shop door. She obviously wasn’t very busy right now, but that was to be expected. She specialized in illicit substances that most people waited until after dark to purchase. Not that they were afraid of being caught by any authorities – there were none in the Crimson Wastes – but rather so they wouldn’t be mugged when people who couldn’t afford her wares saw them purchasing them.</p><p>Trouble passed by but then slowed to a stop. They stood there for a moment before sighing. They turned and walked over, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a small pouch of money.</p><p>Jade simply held out a hand and accepted it, no questions asked.</p><p>“Keep the change, to pay for the trouble,” the Changeling said.</p><p>“You <em>are</em> the trouble,” Jade smirked up at them. “Your dad’s just gonna do it again, you know.” She pocketed the pouch as she pointed it out absently. “Only reason I let him deal in IOUs is that I know you’ll always pay for it.”</p><p>“Not anymore,” Trouble shook their head, turning away. “I’m not giving him <em>anything</em> anymore. What little goodwill I have in my cold little heart is dried up.”</p><p>“You say it,” Jade chuckled.</p><p>“I <em>mean</em> it. Don’t expect to see me again, Jade,” Trouble said firmly as they wove into the crowd and towards the suspended bridges attaching the Valley to the road out of the Wastes.</p><p>Trouble ran across the bridge, not looking back. Not even hesitating. Knowing that this was the last time they would ever see the Valley.</p><p>It wasn’t until they were so far away they couldn’t even see the Valley behind them anymore that they stopped and sat down on a rock in the middle of the desert canyon.</p><p>And Trouble finally let out a wail that echoed across the canyon walls, bouncing eerily down them to frighten anyone traveling inside. Perhaps a superstition or two would be formed by them.</p><p>The one thing Double Trouble could never learn to do was cry on command.</p><p>It was because they swore they’d never cry in front of anyone. Not since they saw their father cry for days on end when their mother disappeared into the night without a word. They wouldn’t let themself show the same pathetic heartbreak Cesar let tear himself apart. Make him weak. Cause him to turn to things that were tearing him apart from the inside out to eventually kill him. To forget what it meant to be a father to a child who was already shunned for being different. Causing a young Changeling to be forced to learn to fend for themself in the harsh Valley of the Lost and the Crimson Wastes.</p><p>Trouble had to learn to never be vulnerable.</p><p>To never trust another person.</p><p>That if something in life was worth having, it was worth having at the cost of others.</p><p>And above all, Trouble learned to never love.</p><p>There was nothing that broke a person easier than love.</p><p>That made love a weakness they couldn’t afford.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rogelio learns some new things.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reptilians had children in clutches. Typically four to six of them, specifically. They were huge families but very close and loyal families. Tracing the trees was difficult for any outsider, but they could tell by scent if someone was too closely related to pursue a relationship with. It was the most important thing to be wary of.</p><p>Rogelio had seven siblings. Five sisters and two brothers. Pastora, Perla, Gloria, Estela, Irene, Efrain, and Abel. A good amount of children, even for a Lizardfolk family.</p><p>However, the key word was ‘had.’ Five of them were sent to the Horde, including himself. Two of them, Perla and Efrain, had died during the raid of a larger village that proved to be more prepared than they were expecting. Pastora, the first-hatched of the siblings, responded to this by attacking their lost siblings’ Force Captain. She was put down in self-defense.</p><p>Well, Force Captain Jethro said it was self-defense. The Lizardfolk population of the Horde knew better. It was a message. Loyalty to their own didn’t trump loyalty to the Horde. Any sign otherwise would be responded to with force.</p><p>They gave their rebuttal on his next mission. Force Captain Jethro didn’t make it back alive. The tragic victim of standing a little too close to an explosive as it went off. A terrible accident, to be sure.</p><p>Rogelio and Gloria were on different squads as a result of everything that had happened. In fact, siblings of any sort sharing a team became extremely rare. Not that many people in the Horde had siblings outside of the Lizardfolk. Most everyone here was orphans, with no actual family of their own. Lizardfolk were an exception.</p><p>“[How are things going with you?]” Gloria asked as they sat in Isla’s classroom. Isla was between classes, but saying they were asking her questions was a good excuse for reptilian siblings to see each other again. The older Lizardwoman herself shuffled around, not paying them any attention.</p><p> Rogelio grunted, leaning on the wall next to the desk his younger sister sat at. She was smaller than him, though that wasn’t surprising. Rogelio was the largest member of his family. Well, he was now. Perla had that honor before her unfortunate end. Gloria was lovely, with spring green scales and a slim, shapely tail. More than one member of their race in the Horde had tried to woo her. They all failed.</p><p>Gloria was not easily impressed. Though right now, she was also a little battered, eye purple and puffed, a few gaps in her fangs.</p><p>“[I think Catra is slowly losing it,]” Rogelio said low, looking to the door. Not that anyone who entered this room would care what he had to say about his Force Captain. “[Or quickly. She’s getting more desperate. Unfortunately, it means she’s taking it out on us.]”</p><p>“[You mean she’s taking it out on Ky~le,]” Gloria grinned up at him, leaning on the table with an elbow.</p><p>Rogelio narrowed his eyes and growled at her.</p><p>“[Don’t you,]” his sister made the same growling sound, “[me. I’m not the one who’s going all crazy in love.]” She spun her claws in the air, wiggling her head back and forth as she said it.</p><p>“[No, you’re the one with some missing teeth and black eye,]” Rogelio shot back. He raised a claw and made a general gesture to her battered face. “[What happened to you?]”</p><p>“[Mintara happened,]” Gloria opened her mouth and looked down as if she could see past her own snout into her maw. Still, she ran her tongue into the gaps. “[She’s having us do charging drills. I’ve run into so many crates I’m pretty sure I have brain damage.]”</p><p>Mintara was Gloria’s Force Captain. A massive Minotaur, she dwarfed even Rogelio in size. She was also all about unarmed combat, rushing in and taking enemies by surprise. She expected her squads to at least be able to do it if they lost their weapons. It led to many exercises that involved running head-first into things no creature was supposed to do so to.</p><p>Rogelio would rather deal with Catra’s degrading mental state than Mintara’s training regimen any day.</p><p>“[You already had brain damage,]” Rogelio teased.</p><p>Gloria opened her mouth to retort, but the communicator on her belt went off. A shiver went through her body, knowing it was said Force Captain. “[I gotta go! Say hi to your squad for me!]” she yelped, jumping up and running out of the room. As Rogelio watched, he could hear her fading voice, “Yes, Mintara, ma’am! I’m on my way; I just got a little sidetracked with…”</p><p>Rogelio chuckled and shook his head. He hadn’t spoken to the family back home since he was transferred to the Fright Zone, so Gloria was the only connection to it he had left. He was at least a little jealous that she had picked up on common Etherian faster than he ever could.</p><p>As if reading his mind, Isla finally spoke up. “You know, I’m still offering lessons. It will help you speak to your teammates easier.”</p><p>Rogelio looked to her, then sighed. This was a conversation they’d had many times since she started these classes. He didn’t attend them until two years after Kyle had joined his team. He hadn’t cared to learn about those outside his culture until then. “[I’ve told you a hundred times, I tried learning, I just-]”</p><p>“You tried learning from people who grew up with it,” Isla cut him off. "You can't learn from people who don't understand what it's like to not know how to make the sounds." They had this conversation many times, but both were too stubborn to budge on it.</p><p>It was a Lizardfolk thing.</p><p>“[I just… can’t. I tried, I failed, it happens. I’m just not meant to speak common,]” Rogelio argued, folding his arms over his chest and looking at the floor.</p><p>Isla shook her head, walking over and putting her hand on his shoulder. She was taller than he was, which was rare among the Lizardfolk in general. “You can’t be afraid of failure, Rogelio. If you try and fail, it means you’ve learned. Then you try again and apply it.”</p><p>Rogelio took a breath but then made a frustrated sound. “[It doesn’t matter. So they can’t understand me, so what? We communicate just fine, and they know I prefer to stick to my native tongue. Why do you insist on always speaking common, anyway? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak lizard tongue.]” Changing the subject was easier than admitting that she wasn’t wrong.</p><p>“Because I had to learn that we can’t do this alone. I can speak lizard tongue just fine. I grew up as proud as you were taught. I only learned common here in the Horde because it was easier than struggling to communicate. But then something… happened. Something that I didn’t expect, and I came to realize that we’re not separate from everyone else. We’re a part of the same world. We don’t have to forget who we are, stop speaking our tongue. But we need to learn to live with the world, not push ourselves away from it.”</p><p>Rogelio listened to her, though he still didn’t look at her. Finally, he asked, “[What happened?]” He knew what happened for him. When he realized that they didn’t have to be as alone in the world as they felt. He always wondered where her turn was.</p><p>“The same thing that happened to you,” Isla smiled.</p><p>Rogelio looked at her in confusion. What did that even mean?</p><p>“Mama Isla, I-”</p><p>That voice made Rogelio stop, turning sharply to look at the door.</p><p>Kyle stood there, looking surprised. And then… guilty? Embarrassed?</p><p>Wait, did he just call Isla ‘mama?’</p><p>“Hey, kiddo,” Isla simply smiled, taking her hand off of Rogelio’s shoulder.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I didn’t… I’ll come back later…” Kyle muttered, turning and fleeing before either could stop him.</p><p>As Isla sighed, Rogelio was simply perplexed. What was that about? He didn’t even know Kyle and Isla <em>knew</em> each other. “[Did he call you ‘mama’?]” he finally asked her.</p><p>Isla looked at him, running her hand along her scarred snout. She finally said, “I’m the one who brought him to the Horde.” She said it almost challengingly as if she was expecting Rogelio to object to the very idea. She should have known better, though. Kyle being in the Horde was the best thing to happen to the Lizardman. “He was all alone, just a kid. If I left him to his own devices, he wouldn’t have survived.”</p><p>Rogelio stared at the aged Lizardwoman, pieces clicking into place. Remembering when she started behaving differently, encouraging her fellow reptilians to mingle with the other races. Especially the humans. No one advocated harder than her for Human-Lizardman relations.</p><p>Because Isla’s reason for rethinking their deeply ingrained pride was, as she said, the same as his.</p><p>And… a lot of other things were starting to make sense as well. It had always baffled Rogelio that Kyle didn’t shy away from him when they met. That he wasn’t afraid of him, despite being afraid of everyone else. He had always thought it was because Rogelio was… he didn’t know, different? That it was something about the Lizardman himself that made him special.</p><p>But… no. It was because of Kyle’s relationship with Isla. ‘Mama Isla.’ She brought him here to protect him. She gave him comfort, security, safety.</p><p>That look Kyle always gave him from when they first met, the one that always looked so expectant of something… that wasn’t because he was Rogelio. It was because he was Lizardfolk. Isla meant security to him, so Lizardfolk meant security.</p><p>Rogelio found himself extremely torn. On the one hand, it gave him hope. If Kyle could see Lizardfolk as being safe, then it meant so could others. The perpetually tired blond was the key to helping Lizardfolk and humans, at the very least, come to an understanding.</p><p>On the other… Rogelio felt like a fool. An idiot. He spent years thinking he was special. Thinking that Kyle always felt safe and comfortable around him because of who he was. It turned out it was about <em>what</em> he was. If he had been anyone else, any other Lizardfolk… Kyle would’ve looked at them the same way when they met. It was just… <em>luck</em> that it had been him.</p><p>“Rogelio?”</p><p>The young Lizardman looked up at his name. Isla was watching him. She looked concerned. “[Sorry, I… I have to go…]” Like Kyle before him, he hurried out of the room before Isla could stop him.</p><p>He needed to be alone for a while. He needed to think. He needed to sort things out.</p><p>Rogelio needed to figure out what this meant for not only him but his team. And more importantly, for him and Kyle.</p>
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